CHICAGO, June 19, 2006 - Maguire Products, Inc.’s LPD™ vacuum resin dryer, the
world’s fastest-selling plastics auxiliary equipment system, now dries even more
rapidly and uniformly, is easier to deploy and operate, and has broader
applicability than ever before, the company announced today at NPE 2006 (Booth
5507). At the show Maguire introduced a wide range of improvements in the LPD
system.

“Total sales of the LPD dryer now exceed 1,400 units and are increasing at
the rate of 30 units per month,” said B. Patrick Smith, vice president of
marketing and sales. “We fully expect that the new enhancements of this
revolutionary dryer will lead to even faster growth.”
Smith summarized the benefits for users as follows:

Faster and more uniform heating. “By redesigning the airflow
circuit within the drying canister, we have increased the speed of a system
that already had been yielding properly dried resin in one-sixth of the time
required with a conventional desiccant dryer,” Smith said. “In addition, the
drying process is more uniform throughout the resin batch than is possible
with a desiccant dryer, maintaining the consistency of the resin fed to the
processing machine and reducing the likelihood of defects due to overexposure
of the polymer to heat.”

Increased throughput for high-heat resins. Maguire has
stepped up the pre-heating capability of the LPD dryer from 300 °F (150 °C) to
365 °F (185 °C), thereby shortening drying time for materials ranging from PET
to polysulfone, polyethersulfone, and polyetherimide.

Easier purging of pellets in conveyor lines. New software
provides for purging of conveyor lines from the dryer to the processing
machine, removing residual pellets that could otherwise regain moisture.

Easier deployment as a central dryer. A new manifold system
provides conveyance to multiple processing lines.

Easier adjustment to ambient conditions. Since vacuum
pressure varies widely from one region to another (being much lower at high
altitudes than at sea level, for example), the pressure in the LPD dryer must
be adjusted accordingly. A new vacuum calibration capability built into the
controller software replaces a manual task with an automated one.

More user-friendly controller interface. A new two-line,
40-character vacuum fluorescent display (VFD) provides detailed messaging and
can be set to deliver text in English, Czech, Dutch, French, German, Italian,
and Spanish.

Faster material changes. Two new features reduce the time
between color or product changeovers: an easy-access surge hopper and a
built-in drain chute for emptying resin canisters. The latter feature is
particularly valuable with large-capacity dryers.

Instant validation of dryer operation. Maguire has placed a
window at the top of the canister, through which a sensor can detect the
presence of resin at that level inside. This new system enables the operator
to become aware of a loader malfunction and prevents overfill.

“Compared with hot air and desiccant dryers, the LPD vacuum dryer requires
only 20% of the energy and one-sixth of the time to properly pre-dry resin,”
said Smith. “We anticipate that by providing these and other benefits, the LPD
dryer will change the way the industry dries resin.”

The LPD dryer differs radically from conventional hot-air and desiccant
dryers in two ways: 1) instead of flowing hot, dry air over the pellets to
slowly draw the moisture out, the patented LPD dryer uses vacuum to reduce the
boiling point of water, quickly turn the moisture into water vapor, and
literally pull the water vapor from within the pellets; and 2) the LPD dryer
carries out heating and vacuum drying simultaneously in separate stations,
making possible small batches while in effect transforming a batch process into
a continuous one that keeps pace with the processing machine.

MAGUIRE PRODUCTS, INC., headquartered in Aston, Pennsylvania, U.S.A., is the
world’s largest supplier of gravimetric blenders and liquid color pumps and also
manufactures loading systems, granulators, dryers, auger feeders, and related
equipment and software. Its customers include injection, blow, and rotational
molders, extrusion processors, and compounders. Founded in 1977, Maguire
operates five manufacturing facilities in Aston and Smithfield, Rhode Island,
U.S.A. The company maintains a network of distributors in the Americas and
overseas and has two sales and service subsidiaries: Maguire Europe, which
supports customers throughout Europe and operates a distribution center in
Tamworth, Staffordshire, United Kingdom; and Singapore-based Maguire Asia,
serves customers throughout South Asia and the Pacific Rim. Visit the Maguire
Products web site: www.maguire.com.